Resilient parallel jaw clamp



n.BAlN RESILIENT PARALLEL JAW CLM/u?- July 27, 1954 Filed oct. e', 195C Patented July 27, '1954 RESILIENT PARALLEL JAW CLAMP Reginald Bain, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application October 6, 1950, Serial No. 188,775

3 Claims.

This invention relates tov clamps adapted to hold a plurality of superimposed elements in contiguity to one another and, more particularly, to a clamp adapted to be utilized in maintaining a plurality of elements in superimposed relationship to permit the simultaneous operation of a tool thereupon.

In describing the construction and mode of operation of a clamp constructed in accordance with my invention, it is illustrated as utilized in conjunction with a conventional bandsaw but it is obvious that the clamp can be utilized with any one of a plurality of different types of tools.

Conventional clamps of the type under consideration usually consist of a first clamping member which is secured to a second clamping member by adjustment means adapted to permit the adjustment of the first and seco-nd clamping members toward and away from each other. Suchclamps cannot be readily used in conjunction with conventional machine tools, such as `bandsaws and drill presses, because the second clamping member thereof is of such thickness that, when. the clamp and the elements maintained in superimposed relationship therein are placed upon the table of the tool to be utilized, the thickness of the second clamping member causes the sides of the elements secured in the clamp to be disposed a substantial distance above the surface of the table of the tool while the opposite sides of the superimposed elements contact the surface of the table to incline the vertical axes of the superimposed elements angularly from a vertical axis normal to the plane of the table.

vTherefore, when an attempt is made to make simultaneous cuts or to simultaneously drill holes in the superimposed elementsthe cuts or holes are made at angles which are parallel to the angularly displaced axes f of the superimposed elements from the vertical axis normal to the plane of the table. y I Y It is, therefore, a primary object ofmyinvention to provide a clamp for maintaining a plurality of superimposed elements in operative relationship with one another which ijs-spo constructed that when the clampv is disposed upon the table of a machine tool the vertical axesof the superimposed elements are maintained substantially parallelvtoan axiswhich is perpendicular to thefsurface of the tablek ofthe tool;

Anv additional .object of my invention isfthe provision of a clamp fol,` .maintaining Ya plurality of separate articles in superimposed `relationship with one another which includes a rstclarnp- Iing member anda second clamping'member adjustably connected to said rst clamping member to facilitate the adjustment of said rst and second clamping members toward and away from each other, said second clamping member being so thin as to prevent the substantial inclination of the vertical axes of the articles from an axis perpendicular to the plane of a Work table upon which the clamp and the articles are placed.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a clamp of the aforementioned type in which the second clamping member is formed of material of very light gage, said second clamping member being, therefore, deformable and dependent upon the surface of the table upon which it is imposed to prevent the undue deformation thereof.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of a clamp of the aforementioned type which includes a rst clamping member and a second clamping member so thin as to prevent the substantial inclination of the vertical axes of articles disposed between said clampingv members from an axis perpendicular to the plane of the table upon which the clamp and articles are placed and which includes a rigid block connected to the upper surface of said second clamping member to facilitate the attachment to said second clamping member of adjustment means connecting it to said iirst clamping member.

A further object of my invention is the provision of adjustment means'adapted to maintain the first and second clampingmembers of said clamp in substantial parallelism with each other and to prevent any misalignment between said members which would result in the release of articles maintained between said members.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawing, which is for the purpose of illustration only, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, partly sectional View of a clamp constructed in accordance with my invention; Y y

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of a conventional bandsaw showing the manner in which a clamp constructedin accordance with my invention can be placed upon the table thereof without substantial deviation of the vertical axes of the superimposed articles in said clamp from an axis perpendicular to the surface of the table of the bandl Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the clamp; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse, partly sectional vier taken on the brokenline lof Fig. 1. l

Referring to Ythe drawing,l andiparticularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, I show a clamp I0 constructed in accordance with my invention and including a first clamping member II which is connected by adjusting means I2 to a second clamping member I3. The first and second clamping members II and I3 are adapted to maintain a plurality of articles I4, such as planks, sheets of plastic or berboard, in superimposed relationship to facilitate the simultaneous operation thereupon'of a tool, such as a bandsaw.

The first clamping member I I is constituted by a rigid, elongated, substantially rectangular plate I5, as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the un der side of the plate I6 being adapted to Vcontact the upper surface of the uppermost of the pile of superimposed articles I4 when they are placed in the clamp I0. A rst opening I1 Vis provided -in the plate I6 intermediate the ends thereof while a second opening I8 is provided in the plate adjacent an end thereof and spaced from the first opening I1.

The second clamping member I3 is, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing, constituted by a plate 23 which is very thin and which, in the present vembodiment of my invention, is formed of a strip of spring steel stock T15 inch in thickness. `In the use of yclamps constructed in accordance with my invention, I have discovered that the maximum thickness of the second clamping member I3 cannot be morethan 1A; inch, for reasons which will be given in greater detail below. Since the plate 2E! constituting the Ysecond clamping member I3 is formed 'of spring steel stock,-it is resilient and any deflection occasioned therein when the Iarticles I4 are clamped between the first and second clamping members is eliminated when the second clamping member is placed upon the table 22 of a bandsaw 23.

In conventional clamps the second clamping member I3 would be equivalent in thickness to the first clamping member II and when placed upon the surface ofthe table 22 of the bandsaw 23 the articles I4 `disposed in a conventional clamp would'have their vertical axes angularly disposed, as `along a line -B-B, with reference to a vertical axis A-'A perpendicular to the surface of the table 122, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The inclination Afrom the Vertical axes of the articles occasioned by the use of Aconventional lclamps is attributable to the fact that'the thickness of the second clamping members of such vconventional clamps raises the under surface ofthe lowermost of the articles held in superimposed relationship by such a clamp above the surface 'of the table upon which the clamp is placed, causing those portions of the articles ldisposed in the `clamp which are most remote therefrom yto contact the surface -of the table, said -portions being lower than those portions of the articles which are retained in the clamp. Therefore, an angular disposition of the articles clamped with yrefererice'to lthe surface of the table results. When the articles are thus angularly disposed with reference to the surface of the table, simultaneous cuts made therein by the vblade ofthe 4bandsaw will be angular rather than vertical and the purpose of -simultaneously cutting the superimposed articles will be defeated, in that Athe cuts inthe articles will not be identical.

By the use rof vapplicarits yclampthe possibility of the divergence of the vertical axes of the superimposed articlesI from a vertical axis normal to the surface of fthe .table 2li. is eliminated, as best shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawing. vThe ex- .treme .thinness of the second clamping member I3 engaging the under surface of the lowermost of the superimposed articles I4 prevents the under surface of the lowermost of the articles I4 from being raised a substantial distance above the surface of the table 22 and, by a slight pressure of the hands of the operator upon the portions of the superimposed articles adjacent the Clamp I0 the deviation of the vertical axes of the superimposed articles I4 can be prevented, thus resulting in straight cuts or holesbeing formed in the superimposed articles.

Fastened to the upper surface of the resilient plate 2 which constitutes the second clamping member I3 isla rigid block 21, said block being secured to said upper surface by means of welds 28. The rigid block 21 acts as a stiffener for a :substantial portion of the resilient plate 20 and has formed therein a first opening 29 and a second opening 33 spaced from said first opening 29.

The adjusting means I2 includes a rst post 32, the lower end of which is disposed in the first opening 29 in the rigid block 21 and which is secured therein by means of welding or any other method of fastening. The upper end of the rst post 32 is threaded, a wing nut 33 engaging said upper end of the post 32 and contacting the upper surface of the plate I6 constituting the first clamping member IVI adjacent the periphery of the first opening I1 in said plate, the upper end of said rst post passing through said first opening.

A compression spring 34 encompasses the periphery of the lower portion of the first post 32, having its lowermost end seated on the upper surface of the rigid block 21 and its upper end engaging the lower end of a longitudinally shiftable collar 35 which surrounds the kfirst post 32 and has its upper end biased against'the under side ofthe first clamp ing member II adjacent the periphery of the opening I1 formed therein. Thus, the compression spring 34 continually urges the longitudinally shiftable collar 35 vagainst the under surface of the first clamping member II and maintains said clamping member in contact with the wing nut 33. A secondpost 31 has its lower'end seated in the opening 3U inthe rigid block V21 and secured therein by means of a weld, its upper end being threaded and protruding through the sec ond opening i8 in the first clamping member I I. Anut 38 engages the threaded upper end of the second post 31 land contacts the under side of the rst clamping member `II adjacent the periphery of the-second opening i8 to support said 'first clamping member `I I adjacent said opening.

The clamp Il] `is adjusted inthe following manner: the second clamping member I3 is disposed in contact with the surface ofthe table 22 and the articles I4 are disposed in the space between the vnrst and second clamping members. The Wing nut 33 is then rotated to shift it in the proper direction to bring the under surface of the first clamping member II in contact with the upper `surface of the uppermost of the articles I4 against the bias of the compression spring 34. The nut 38 on the second-post '31 is then adjusted to maintain -the first Aclamping member in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of Athe second vclamping member I3.

When theyupper clamping member `II is adjusted through-the actionof the thumbscrew 33 to-cause the under surface ofthe upper clamping member to'engage the uppersur'face of the -uppermost fof the articles I4, those portions lof the larticles lldisposed in the spacebetween'the rst and second clamping members H and I3 are compressed to secure them rmly in the clamp 10. However, since the second clamping member l 3 is formed of light gage and readily deformable material, the compressive force exerted by the first clamping member H is, to a certain extent, exerted upon the surface of the table 22 of the bandsaw 23. Thus, when the articles ill are cut, drilled or otherwise operated upon by a tool, the downward pressure exerted upon the articles by the operator of the tool serves, to a certain extent, to maintain the articles within the grip of the clamp ID.

I thus provide by my invention a clamp adapted to maintain a plurality of articles in superimposed relationship to facilitate the simultaneous operation thereupon of a tool, the clamp including a irst, rigid clamping member and a second, deformable clamping member formed of light gage stock. By providing a second clamping member of very light gage, I prevent the divergence of the vertical axes of the superimposed articles from a vertical axis normal to the surface of the work table upon which the clamp and the articles secured therein are positioned.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a clamp adapted to maintain a plurality of articles in superimposed relationship on a table to permit the simultaneous operation of a tool thereupon, the combination of: a rst clamping member; adjustment means connected to said first clamping member; a second clamping member; and a rigid block secured to the upper surface of said second clamping member for receiving said adjustment means to permit the adjustment of said first and second clamping members toward and awa?, from each other, said second clamping member being deformable and thin to prevent the substantial inclination of the vertical axes of said articles from an axis perpendicular to the plane of said table.

2. In a clamp adapted to maintain a plurality of articles in superimposed relationship on a table to permit the simultaneous operation of a tool thereupon, the combination of: a rst clamping member; adjustment means connected to said first clamping member; a second clamping member; and a rigid block secured to the upper surface of said second clamping member for receiving said adjustment means to permit the adjustment of said first and second clamping members toward and away from each other, said second clamping member being resilient and thin to prevent the substantial inclination of the vertical axes of said articles from an axis perpendicular to the plane of said table.

3. In a clamp adapted to maintain a plurality of articles in superimposed relationship on a table to permit the simultaneous operation of a tool thereupon, the combination of: a first, rigid, elongated clamping plate of substantially rectangular cross section having forward and rearward free ends and being provided with a first, intermediate opening and a second, outermost opening adjacent one of said ends; a second, resilient clamping plate disposed below said first clamping plate; a rigid block secured to the upper surface of said second plate adjacent one end thereof; a vertical adjustment post secured at its lower end to said block, said adjust ment post engaging said iirst opening in said irst plate; and a vertical alignment post secured at its lower end to said block, said alignment post engaging said second opening in said iirst plate.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 59,861 Ormsby Nov. 20, 1866 305,989 Weiser Sept. 30, 1384 386,279 Tarbell July 17, 1388 643,007 Richter Feb. 6, 1900 1,561,359 Scheicher Nov. 10, 1925 1,758,733 Cayo May 13, 1930 1,988,240 Ellis Jan. 15, 1935 2,249,651 Gilbert July 15, 1941 2,487,997 West Nov. 15, 1949 2,530,203 Lear Nov. 14, 1950 2,622,837 Goodman Dec. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 340,784 France May 20, 1904 

